While we usually address church-state issues that involve violations of the civil liberties of nontheists, this story highlights an extreme example of the reverse sort of issue, where the lack of government neutrality apparently harmed a theist (to put it mildly). Anyone who claims to be a freethinker or a supporter of church-state separation should condemn this action by North Korea.

Absolutely true. In fact, she was killed for opposing what (as the article correctly implies) is the state-backed religion of North Korea: the Kim cult. I suspect a person of any religion or none who dissented equally openly would have met the same fate. She was killed not for being a Christian but for dissenting from the belief system supported by the state.

http://www.blogger.com/profile/08827731848618933239 Ross

I believe in freedom of religion or irreligion, as the case may be. What the North Korean regime does is deplorable by any standard.